But sometimes, my dad ain’t so sweet. And thank God that he knows exactly when to use the reverse psychology on me.

You see, a few days ago, I received the greatest shock of my life: I got a C+ on my essay on the evolution debates.

Why? Not for stylistic issues, or mechanics, but because my opinion was too strong. It’s more like a screed than an academic paper, my professor scribbled in bright red ink. But I thought strong arguments was the purpose of an argumentative essay!

Don’t worry, I did not charge up at my professor screaming and kicking. In fact, I was too stunned to say or do anything. I staggered out in a daze, almost certain that this was all a horrible nightmare.

I, Sophia Lee, got a C+. And not just in any subject; it was in my best freaking subject, writing. I, who have never gotten less than an A in any essays, who wrote up 90-page papers when I was just a freshman, whose essays were read out loud during class as model essays numerous times…I got a freaking C+?!!

This wasn’t just a slap in the face. It was a total bulldoze, crush, trample, smash, squash, crush, mow-down, rip-apart…Okay, you get the idea. Anyway, that was how I felt that hideous, outrageous C+ did to my flabbergasted face. I didn’t even have the mental coherence to go grocery-shopping (Okay, that was a lie).

But that night, my dad happened to call. I didn’t feel like talking to anyone, so I refused to answer the call. Five seconds later, I felt bad and called back.

“Sophia, darling!” My dad boomed in his joyful, jolly voice.

I instantly regretted calling. “Hi,” I moaned glumly, thinking, I hate happy people.

My dad immediately caught notice of my deflated tone. “What’s wrong?”

I couldn’t help it. I started crying. “I got a C+ on my evolution essay~” I wailed.

And you know what my dad did? He laughed. Laughed. Yes, he dared laugh outright into my face! “Hahaha,” he guffawed. Then his voice got muffled as he told my mom really loudly that his daughter got her first C.

“Hahaha!” my mother chortled.

And here’s the strangest thing. I couldn’t help bursting out in laughter, too! I tried to pretend to be pissed off, but inside, I felt as if all the distress inside of me were blown away with their laughter. How silly I was! My parents were absolutely right to be laughing, because I was seriously being ridiculous with one single grade.

“Finally you’ve found a professor that won’t pump your ego but whip you good!” my dad exclaimed gleefully. 

Ummm…Okay, daddy, you can stop now, I get your point.

Anyway. Sometimes, when life hits you in the face with a splash of salty water, you just need to spit it back out and laugh. There are so many freaking things we worry about that in the larger and deeper context, is so frivolous. How foolish and pathetic it would be to waste all our precious emotions and time over such meaningless things!

Besides, another thing I realized: you don’t learn anything if life is all sooth course and calm waves. It’s during a storm that you are alert, that you experience and learn something new.

So what did I learn from this C+?

1) I need to tone down a little in my opinions when writing an academic paper. 

2) I won’t waste more than 5 minutes on anything that isn’t worthy of time and emotions.

3) When being laughed at, laugh together.

Likewise, with food, it’s best not to get too serious. Flavors and ingredients are there for us to play around, to have fun, to experiment with.

And with a great base like POM Wonderful juice, the canvas is wide and open to anything! I really, really like this stuff! I don’t like to drink it straight up because I’m not a huge juice fan, but I am loving how versatile it is in cooking!

Meanwhile, heat up a small saucepan. Toss in all the fruits, juice, and honey. Drizzle in balsamic vinegar and honey to taste. Add a bit of water to thin it out if you like. Sprinkle in the rosemary.

Bring to a boil, then let simmer until thick and reduced. Grate in the lime zest, set aside.

Heat up a giant skillet. Spray it with vegetable oil, or use butter if you’ve got it. Place the sandwiches gently on top and cook both sides until nice and crispy, and the cheese inside is melted and gooey.

Note: To make the perfect french toast, do a mix of whole eggs and egg whites. The egg whites make it crispy, while the bit of yolk adds a touch of richness and creaminess and fluffiness. The best of both worlds!